Croc Hunter

[newreefbishop]

Ok, so Im working the swingshift today and wake up at about 7 am this morning get ready jump in the car and turn on th radio...i hear it...Croc Hunter Dies......im like ***...

Anyway I come to work google the news articles, (I work in IT...Google is life) and find that he is stung by a sting ray (blue Spotted). I cant believe it. Then it occurs to me sting rays can have 10 inch barbs strong enough to pierce steel. And he got too close to one and it hit him right in the chest and pierced his heart. This is the same man the can wrangle a salt water croc, rattlers, giant snakes....and lost his life to a fish. He will be missed, but once again mother natures shows that the diverse and largest living organism is not only one we know very little about, but the habitat is one we have only explored 2% of. And we have to not only respect, but protect it. He will be missed, and Im still in shock.....

 

[r00onmac]

yea i found out at around 10 this morning and crapped my pants... i feel bad for his kids and all the people who relied on Steve for all their animal based information...

 

[Kewlworm]

Yeah, read the news last night. It's sad. Who would of thought he died in the ocean. He was shooting a program w/ his daughter and he swam on top of the stingray...then all of the sudden the stingray shoot its barb up and right in his left chest. That was a fatal blow...nothing can be done to save his life. Can't imagine what his daughter felt when she saw it....

 

[Sk8r]

FOrtunately, Kewlworm, very fortunately, he was shooting the program FOR his daughter's tv bit for kids, but his daughter was away on a climb with her mother, Terri, at the time. Neither of the children was there, just the shooting crew, as far as I know. They'd had bad weather and couldn't shoot the documentary bit they'd intended, probably much more dangerous a venture, and sidetracked to do this little bit for the kids' show, promoting, I'm sure, how basically gentle the rays are. Just a case of wrong position on maybe a stormy day.

I'm sure Wes and some of the others are gathered with Terri and the kids and, I think, the dad.

 

[Kewlworm]

Oh, man, thank God the acticle I went last night was incorrect. It would be heartbreaking.

 

[scubasteve247]

where did you read it was a blue spotted stingray?

 

[cschweitzer]

Someone will take up his plight to rescue the world. Someone else will have the information he discovered. Someone will care for the animals in his absence.

The tragedy is that a great man was lost. A kind and gentle human being who cared more about life than most of us will ever understand. This, coupled with leaving behind a wife and beautiful young children will be the real sad point.

At least we can take solice in the fact that he died doing what he loves...playing with his animals.

 

[Ryanqk]

Wow i couldnt belive it either, i was expecting to hear he got bit by a snake or croc, but a stingray? i swim with those all the time, kinda makes you want to stay away huh? They say that there is video of him pulling the barb out of his chest and then dieing, i wonder if the water rushed into his chest after he pulled it out....
Ryan
RIP Steve

 

[NanoKat]

He was definitely an exceptional human being. Some have said he is a bit "over the top," but to me, he was just showing his enthusiasm for the living creatures that he came into contact with. We can all learn something from his passion he had for his job, animals, and his family. I can only hope to have the same myself in the things I do. I will sincerely miss him, the world has lost one of its finest. My prayers are with his family and friends in their time of loss.

Rest in peace Steve.

 

[newreefbishop]

I agree whole heartedly.....

He was a great person...

As far as the sting ray it was all over discovery.com as well as the news....the animal was reported to be about 200 pounds plus...not sure if this is possible from me research but I wouldnt be suprised....

He was a great man, who stood for creatures who couldnt speak for themselves...